Source: Telegraph
Mark Hughes frustrated by inability to take tired Robinho 'out of the fire'
The Brazilian revealed this week that an all-but-guaranteed starting spot was one of the main factors that tempted him to leave Real Madrid to join the Manchester City revolution but, while the player has not confessed to his manager that fatigue is setting in, Hughes would have liked to "ease his workload" if he had been given the opportunity. [LNB]After a sparkling start, Robinho's form and influence have waned. His anaemic displays have contributed to City's woeful away record and, after a glut of goals in his opening months in England, he has now not found the net for 13 games. [LNB] Related ArticlesRobinho a doubt for CityRobinho: City will make me world's bestFootball's worst kitsRobinho threatens to sue Pele over drug controversyManchester Citys Robinho could be droppedManchester City dismiss absurd Robinho rumoursYet he remains a fixture in Hughes's side, although the manager acknowledges that is more because long-term injuries to the likes of Martin Petrov and Daniel Sturridge have deprived him of potential replacements. [LNB]He said: "In some games he has possibly looked a bit fatigued but that's understandable, because he's not played every week for a while and now he's doing it in one of the most physical leagues in world football. [LNB]"He's grateful to be playing week in, week out and he's never knocked on my door and said he's tired, but there have been some times when you can maybe see a little bit of flatness in his play. [LNB]"We've not had a chance to take him out of the fire because our options on the left have been restricted by injury."[LNB]Robinho will arrive back from international duty with Brazil on Friday afternoon and, although Hughes does not believe he is injured despite limping off late in the 3-0 win over Peru on Wednesday night, he may struggle to be ready for Saturday's visit to Arsenal. [LNB]Hughes said: "We will not know until this afternoon who is fit and who is not, once they are all back, but we will factor in the amount of travelling he has done this week. It is difficult for him because reporting for international duty is not just a matter of a short hop to Europe, it is cross continental. That does not help. [LNB]"Away from home, his Opta and Prozone stats are comparable to everyone else's, and in terms of high intensity to work he often does more. But now we're at a point where people recognise what he wants to do, so they try and stop him doing it." [LNB]
